if they got extracted from unopened Lego sets (e.g. to "launder" stolen Lego sets through the 2nd hand part market) they didn't even need to "take them off" (at

if they got extracted from unopened Lego sets (e.g. to "launder" stolen Lego sets through the 2nd hand part market) they didn't even need to "take them off" (at least in the past) they did ship as separate parts.